A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink Read Free Book Online Page A

undulate, the sand of the Sahara sifting from one side to the other. She caught the scent of salt water, wet earth, wind, and rain.
    “It’s the Terrenious Orb.” Galizur’s voice broke through the trance brought on by the object in front of her. “It’s a measure of our world and how secure we are in it.” He gestured at it with one hand. “And as you can see, things aren’t going very well at the moment.”

EIGHT
     
    G alizur paced the floor in front of the globe before stopping, his gray eyes piercing hers.
    “Let us begin with a story of sorts, shall we?”
    Helen nodded. “If that will help me understand all this.”
    She didn’t believe anything would help her understand everything that had happened in the last few hours, but clearly Galizur had information. And information was her only hope of making sense of it all.
    “A long time ago, a group of lesser angels were—”
    “Lesser angels?” Helen interrupted.
    “They were not archangels,” Griffin explained, “though they were of the same blood.”
    “Quite right.” Galizur nodded, continuing. “In the beginning, three of these lesser angels were appointed to watch over the Earth. To keep it working, so to speak. Of course,the world quickly became too complicated for only three of them to manage, so that number grew, until finally, there were twenty, as there are today. Now known as Keepers, they’re chosen before birth by a counsel of spiritual leaders known as the Dictata. The identity of each Keeper is kept secret—even from themselves—until they reach Enlightenment.”
    “Enlightenment?” Helen couldn’t help repeating the word. It carried almost mystical connotations.
    “At seventeen, the point at which the Keepers learn about their position,” Galizur said. “After which they don’t age, though they can still be killed by certain rather extraordinary means.”
    “What kind of extraordinary means?”
    He waved the question away. “Let’s not worry about that for now. Suffice it to say that on the rare occasion such a thing comes to pass, another Keeper—always a descendant of the original lesser angels—is appointed in their place. For eons, it has only been mildly worrisome. A new appointment is not often required, and there are always nineteen other Keepers to keep the world turning until the new one comes of age.”
    Griffin spoke softly from Helen’s left. “But that was before.”
    Helen looked from him back to Galizur. “Before what?”
    A sigh escaped Galizur’s lips. “Before someone began murdering them.”
    Helen thought of her parents. Of the intruder who had killed them but had obviously been looking for her.
    As if reading her mind, Galizur’s eyes found hers. “You are one of the last Keepers, my dear, as are Darius and Griffin. The only three to have survived a string of mass executions that have taken place over the last few months.”
    The words hung in the room, winding their way around her like the smoke that had threatened to choke her in the hidden room of her burned home. She wanted someone to say something. To laugh aloud or even accuse her of being too young, as Darius had done.
    But no one said a word. She allowed the silence to sit among them until she couldn’t stand it any longer.
    She stood up, pacing away from them. “That is… well, it’s nonsense, that’s all.”
    She expected Galizur to answer. To soothe her worries, as he had done since she arrived. But he didn’t. Even Griffin remained silent. It was Darius who dared to speak the truth she couldn’t deny.
    “So you’re just a normal girl, then?” He continued withoutwaiting for her answer. “It’s normal for someone to come into your home in the dark of night, kill your parents, burn down your house? It’s normal for you to make an escape and to follow directions on a piece of paper to find refuge?”
    She relished the coldness in his voice. Only reason could help her now.
    “And I suppose if you look back on your